(NEXSTAR) – After 40 consecutive draws with no big winner, the Powerball jackpot grew to $1.4 billion on Wednesday.
It’s the largest grand prize in more than two years, the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot ever, and the sixth-largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history.
You may remember the biggest-ever prize was won in California in 2022. The jackpot in that draw was just over $2 billion.
The 10 largest Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots
RankJackpot sizeLottery gameDateState of winning ticket(s)1.$2.04 billionPowerballNov. 7, 2022California2.$1.765 billionPowerballOct. 11, 2023California3.$1.602 billionMega MillionsAug. 8, 2023Florida4.$1.586 billionPowerballJan. 13, 2016California, Florida and Tennessee5.$1.537 billionMega MillionsOct. 23, 2018South Carolina6.$1.4 billionPowerballCurrent jackpotTBD7.$1.348 billionMega MillionsJan. 13, 2023Maine8.$1.337 billionMega MillionsJuly 29, 2022Illinois9.$1.326 billionPowerballApril 6, 2024Oregon10.$1.269 billionMega MillionsDec. 27, 2024California
Will the 41st drawing of this lottery run be the last? We’ll find out if there’s a winner Wednesday night at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
Winners have the choice between a lump sum payout or to receive it in 30 installments. The lump sum payout is smaller, an estimated (still not-too-shabby) $634.3 million.
Whether the winner opts for the lump sum or the annuity, the amount they ultimately receive will be diminished by taxes.
Powerball is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets are $2. Drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, and your odds of landing the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.
